Hi everyone!
I though I’d try to tap the wells of knowledge on this forum on an issue. This is my third round at BS admissions. Waitlisted for Groton’s second form and then last cycle I was waitlisted at Millbrook and the Gunnery and rejected at the Hill. This year I plan on taking a really ambitious approach. That approach is in this thread’s title. I’m just wary after my last 2 tries and I’ve seen advice on this forum that for FA students(I need 75% FA) you should apply to a minimum of 15 BS’s. Is 25 taking it a bridge too far? My innocence as it pertains to BS admissions has been rudely dispelled these past couple of years. I now recognize that I need to apply to a whole hell of a lot more BS’s then I previously thought was necessary if truly want that experience. I just want to hear your thoughts on how much is “too much” to apply to and where should I draw the line.
PS. All schools I apply to this year will be “hidden gems”. I have no interest in acronym schools at this point. There will also be some amazing all-boys schools on the list that I have recently discovered
I applied to 7 schools last year (got waitlisted and rejected by all of them too yay same boat) and ended up with around 30 essays, which I combined to 20. With 25 schools, I imagine it would be even more work to write essays, interview, pay admission fees, etc. To me, it seems like a little much but if you think you can handle it, go for it. Keep in mind that you only need to get into one school and if you’re only applying to hidden gems, I feel like you’d be okay with just 15. Do you have a list of 25 in mind?
Hi mondaydevil.
You make good points. The one thing on my side is that this year it’ll be easier than ever to apply with COVID and everything . I live in NJ ,close enough to the boarding schools in my orbit that in normal times I would have no excuse not to visit in-person. This year virtual visits seem to be the norm almost everywhere. That’s a huge burden lifted off. It will be quite a task though, nevertheless to apply to so many schools. I acknowledge that. If I realize that 25 truly is too much I guess I’ll scale back to 20 or 15 depending. I’m not budging below 15 though. I’m still very much in the research phase but the schools that I am 100% sure I am applying to are ranked in order of preference.
- Woodberry Forest (All boys in VA)
- Blair
- Episcopal
- Brooks
- Salisbury(all boys)
- Brewster
- Holderness
- Berkshire
- Trinity Pawling (all boys)
- Canterbury
- Proctor
- Kimball Union
There are many others that I am still considering
I would also welcome any comments on my list so far!
Does Salisbury still have rolling admissions? If so you could apply early and get a decision quickly, which might lessen the number of applications for you.
What are your reasons for looking into BS?
What are you looking for in BS? Athletics? Activities? STEM facilities, etc?
No,unfortunately Salisbury has a fixed admissions deadline (Feb. 1). I am looking at two schools that have rolling admissions although I’m far from sold on them yet.
Hi surfcity,
I am looking at Boarding School because I love the strong sense of community that many have. That is totally absent at my current high school(I’m a freshman).
What I’m looking for in a BS includes-
. A culturally moderate to conservative environment. Nothing like Putney for example.
. A high boarding percentage, at least 70%.
. Located in Mid- Atlantic /Northeast region.
. Schools that have clubs like Debate and Model United Nations.
. Has to be on the smaller side. 500- ish students would be the max I would consider
Anybody else willing to chime in?
Thank you to @mondaydevil @cinnamon1212 and @surfcity so far!
Consider the financial aid budget of the schools you are considering, if you can find out how much it is. Or, have a look at the endowment. if a school has a low endowment per student, it will be harder to get financial aid there. You are more likely to get generous aid at a school where your stats place you in the highest band of admitted students.
25 sounds like an awful lot! With that said, when you are looking for 75% FA, you are putting yourself into a very special category in terms of admissions. You will have to be bringing something to the school that they really need, whether it is exceptional talent or ability in something, diversity, etc.
Part of that is serendipity-- if you are filling a hole in their applicant pool, that depends largely on who is in that pool, something you can’t control. If a top hockey player applies to AOF needing a lot of FA, for example, odds are he is going to get it over you. It’s also important to show fit, which you can try to do by really understanding each school’s culture, strengths, etc. If you can truly do that, throwing your hat in the ring 25 times may improve your odds.
Your real challenge is going to be putting together applications that show you understand the school and are a fit. I suspect you’ll have some essay material that can be relatively easily adapted for multiple uses, but if 20 schools get an application from you that feels generic, you won’t have improved your odds at all.
Since you are doing freshman year at home this year, I would also really work on making sure the application shows growth over last year, even if different schools will be seeing it. Your primary EC cannot be applying to BS. It’s hard with the pandemic but this will be important.
Thanks @cinnamon1212,
I really haven’t looked at the endowment stat but I guess it behooves me to do so, if I want to be strategic in where I apply.
You put some great advice in your post @gardenstategal.
I definitely won’t fall into the trap of turning out 25 apps off the assembly line without any consideration for the individual schools that will be receiving it.I’ll use the school’s own application form wherever offered so I can customize my responses for each school. Conversely I won’t fall into the trap of letting BS become my primary EC no matter how hard that may become. I already have some great stuff planned for this fall in terms of EC’s!
@metsfan5150 A couple observations and comments…
Regarding FA, some (notably @CaliMex) have shared that they found little connection between a school’s endowment and the FA packages they were offered. In addition, for those needing generous FA, I recall most knowledgeable posters suggesting to apply to 10-12 schools, but no more than 15 schools (rather than “a minimum of 15 BSs”).
Have you improved on the SSAT math score (33%) that you posted from last year? If not, that is likely a contributing factor to the outcome last year, despite your excellent overall score. Though you need not submit a test score this year, any schools you are re-applying to will have that from last year and may have lingering concerns.
Beyond your FA need and math score, you should spend considerable time and effort re-examining your applications from the previous two years. Where might your applications have fallen short? Essays, LORs, interviews, etc. Make no assumptions that a particular area was good. Seek advice from trusted adults (parents, teachers, family friends, coaches, etc.) You can actually leverage having applied two previous years to your advantage, but only if you are truly introspective and show how you’ve matured.
Lastly, you should not dismiss applying to schools that you previously applied to. Persistence could serve you well this time around. Don’t miss that opportunity.
Hi @Altras
I haven’t started practicing yet for this year’s SSAT. You’re probably right about the math score. I guess I shouldn’t submit last year’s scores for this year like I was planning to , right? With practice I hope I can bring the math up to at least a 50% or 60%. I doubt I can get more than a 70%.
As in regards to the 15 school minimum for FA applicants, I got that from @PhotographerMom who I believe is a trusted source on this forum. I can’t find the exact post but perhaps she can back me up? I would also appreciate her giving insight into my particular situation. Thank you!
No, you should not submit an old score that includes a 33%! And you need to be practicing for the SSAT. I understand some schools are test optional but if you applied last year with a low score and apply this year without a score they will know why. Do you struggle in math or just struggle with the testing?
I personally think 25 is too many to write great essays for all of them but maybe it’s something you can pull off. It took my kids a solid month to write essays for 3-4 schools when they applied.
Thanks for commenting @one1ofeach
I got a 99 on reading and verbal last year so I definitely don’t have an issue with testing in general. I’m just hopeless at math. I definitely need to focus on the math section.Next month I’ll start practicing in earnest. I’ll definitely take the SSAT. You’ve all convinced me!
***Edit: I’ll definitely retake the SSAT this year. I won’t submit last year’s score barring my score being worse than last year. I might decline by a few points in reading and verbal but with luck I should bring up my math by 20+ points.
If ypu got a 99 on the verbal section and in the 30s in math that score should be fine at some of the schools you are considering. Check where that score falls compared to a school’s average.